Nanocarrier-Mediated Topical Insulin Delivery for Wound Healing

Abstract

Wound care has been clinically demanding due to inefficacious treatment that represents an economic burden for healthcare systems. In Europe, approximately 7 million people are diagnosed with untreated wounds, leading to a cost between 6.000€ and 10.000€ per patient/year. In the United States of America, 1.5 million people over 65 years old suffer from chronic wounds. A promising therapeutic strategy is the use of exogenous growth factors because they are decreased at the wound site, limiting the recovery of the skin. Insulin is one of the cheapest growth factors in the market able to accelerate the re-epithelialization and stimulate angiogenesis and cell migration. However, the effectiveness of topical insulin in wound healing is hampered by the proteases in the wound bed. The encapsulation into nanoparticles improves its stability in the wound, providing adhesion to the mucosal surface and allowing its sustained release. The aim of this review is to perform a standing point about a promising strategy to treat different types of wounds by the topical delivery of insulin-loaded nanocarriers.

The Impact of Flavonoid-Loaded Nanoparticles in the UV Protection and Safety Profile of Topical Sunscreens

“… Types of nanoparticles mostly used for topical administration of UV filters on sunscreens Adapted from [ 103 ]. …”

Analysis of microRNA expression profiles involved oxidative stress in a deep tissue pressure injury

“…It is estimated that there are ~300 million people around the world who suffer from chronic wounds 1 . Chronic wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers, chronic venous ulcers, and pressure ulcers (PUs), are among the most debilitating conditions with a significant morbidity and mortality rate 2,3 .…”

Review of Research in Developing Hydrogels with Insulin to Promote Wound Healing

“…Topical application of insulin to skin wounds stimulates the migration and proliferation of fibroblasts and endothelial cells, as well as the production of extracellular matrix proteins. Furthermore, insulin stimulates the migration of keratinocytes in a dose-dependent manner by activating a transcription nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) [3][4][5][6]. The hormone was previously found to promote the closure of wound edges by activating the ERK1/2 and PI3K signaling [7].…”